Title
Consider recommendations regarding emPowerSBC Funding Opportunities, as follows:
a) Approve and authorize the Chair to execute the Agreement to deliver the 2012 County of Santa Barbara American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Financing Program (the "Agreement") between the County and Southern California Gas Company made available through California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) 2012 funding cycle;
b) Subject to concurrence by the Auditor Controller, County Counsel, and Risk Management, approve and authorize the County Executive Officer or designee to execute all follow on approvals required by the Agreement.
c) Direct emPowerSBC staff to seek additional funding opportunities including, but not limited to, remaining American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funds made available by the California Energy Commission (CEC) through Los Angeles County to explore building upon the emPower model in the Tri-County region consisting of Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo Counties, and 2013/2014 CPUC funding to sustain and enhance program activities through 2014;
d) Receive and file an update on emPowerSBC progress;
e) Determine that the approval and execution of the Agreement and the direction to seek additional funding is not the approval of a project that is subject to environmental review under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4), finding that the project is a creation of government funding mechanisms or other government fiscal activities, which do not involve any commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment; and
f) Approve the filing of a Notice of Exemption on that basis.